Cessna 402C N402ET

Summary

On 20 February 2007 at about 12:20 local time, a Cessna 402C registered N402ET was involved in an accident near Cordova, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 February 2007 at 12:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Cordova, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Cordova (CDV)

Coordinates

60.5439, -145.7267

Aircraft

Cessna 402C

Registration

N402ET

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anchorage → Cordova

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

ANC07LA021

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the right main landing gear linkage during the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of directional control and the collapse of the right main landing gear. A factor associated with the accident was the failure of company maintenance personnel to comply with a maintenance service letter issued by the airplane manufacturer.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport certificated pilot was landing the retractable gear airplane on a hard surfaced runway at the conclusion of an air taxi cargo flight. During the landing roll, the pilot reported that the airplane veered to the right, and he was unable to maintain directional control. The right main landing gear subsequently collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing spar. Inspection by the NTSB investigator-in-charge and company maintenance personnel, disclosed that the right main landing gear scissor link/strut became disconnected, which allowed the right main wheel assembly to turn sideways and overload the gear leg. Examination of the linkage revealed that the bolt securing the scissors/linkage had pulled through the washer adjacent to the scissor bushing opening, and ultimately through the bushing, disconnecting the linkage. The manufacturer of the airplane issued Service Letter ME-83-37, dated November 23, 1983, that recommended the original equipment outer main landing gear scissors link washers be replaced with larger, more robust washers for "...improved service life and main landing gear alignment retention." The operator had not complied with the nonmandatory service letter, and the airplane was operated with the smaller washers.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.